


Phantom of the GCPD

by BatmanLove394



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Noir, Alternate Universe - Victorian, Bad Detective work, Blood and Violence, Bruce Wayne is Not Batman, Canon-Typical Violence, Detective Noir, Detective Work, Gotham City Police Department, Gotham City Police Department Being Incompetent, M/M, Minor Character Death, Minor Original Character(s), No Raoul, Phantom of the Opera AU, hes just there to be there for bruce and thats all, i didnt want there be other ships, no capes AU, raoul is alfred but theres obviously no romance bc gross, this is a bruharvey fic, well kinda
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-18 18:21:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29613522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BatmanLove394/pseuds/BatmanLove394
Summary: The year is 1882, and Bruce Wayne is an intern at the GCPD who eventually is hired on as a full time detective when he solves a case that had been baffling the entire force. It's soon revealed that he's got a man on the inside, Harvey Dent, a mysterious person who he simply calls "Angel" while the rest refer to the man as "Phantom".
Relationships: Harvey Dent/Bruce Wayne
Comments: 1
Kudos: 4





	Phantom of the GCPD

_Gotham, 1905. Fundraiser for the rebuilding of the new police station._

"Sold! Your number, sir?" An auctioneer, Kris Oltiver, spoke with a voice that gave away nothing of the lots to come as one of the city's rich bid on the current item. Most of what was being sold during the fundraiser for the new building was old police memorabilia. Nothing that couldn't be sold like evidence from cases, of course, but more what current officers and patrons like the mayor had to sell. Yet there was one prize to be won that would amaze the audience of wealthy consumers, and it was only four lots away. 

  
Kris was excited to move on, but kept his cool demeanor as the next item was shown on the easily dismantled stage. It was only there for one night, after all. "Lot 19, then. Ladies and gentlemen, sir Phil Moavis, an old construction worker for the founding of Gotham has put for auction the signed blueprints of our city's very first buildings, including the bridge connecting to Metropolis." 

  
A stagehand quickly moved into view with the blueprints, delicately unfolding the parchment for all eyes to see. "Showing here!" The man proclaims, queing the auctioneer to start the bidding. "Do I hear ten?" 

  
Silence falls over a seemingly uninterested audience until the price goes down. "Five then?" Kris asks, then nods to a woman who holds up her number. "Five I am bid." He starts, and the attention gained from one bid causes another number to raise. "Six? Six, I am bid. Do I hear seven?" Another hand raised. "Seven. Do I hear eight? " Once again, another bidder's number was raised. "Against you sir, eight." With the price going back up, the buyers don't seem too happy to keep going. "Eight once. Selling twice. Sold for eight to Mister Alfred Pennyworth. Thank you very much." 

  
The crowd clapped in a slow, well mannered fashion as the lot was sold. The stagehand moved away to place the blueprints behind the curtain that had been set up, only to come back with another item. With a smile, Kris introduced the next lot. "Lot 20, ladies and gentlemen. A golden pistol trophy given to officer Montoya back in 1899. Ten for this." He states and looks around the room for numbers raised. 

  
Instantly, a hand raises. "Ten? Thank you." A pause before the auctioneer continues, " Ten I am bid. Ten still." Before it can be sold, another hand raises. "Fifteen? Thank you, sir. Fifteen I am bid." One last pause, but no other bids come. "Going for fifteen. Sold. Your number, sir?" When the number is raised, the bidding carries on. 

  
"Lot 21, ladies and gentlemen." As the new item is introduced, the stagehand once again walks forward. This time, he carries a small handheld box, which open opening revealed a simple pearl ring. Alfred Pennyworth, who was there on his employer's behalf, had been mostly composed. Now, the old butler couldn't help but twitch, signs of sorrow trailing across his face as the new lot is put up. "A pearl ring, found in the abandoned Half-Moon club. It has still kept its shine after all these years, ladies and gentlemen. Showing here."

  
As the stagehand walked through the crowd to give each potential buyer a look of the ring, Kris began his auctioning once again. "May I commence at twenty?" When no hands were raised, the man looked disappointed for a moment before quickly changing his demeanor. "Oh come, come, ladies and gentlemen, fifteen, then?"

  
For a moment, it seemed like the lot wouldn't get a single bid. Then, a number was held up from Alfred Pennyworth. "Fifteen I am bid. Thank you very much." Kris says, only for another hand to raise. "Twenty from you, sir?" He addresses another Gothamite, but once again another bid is given as a woman states she'll pay twenty-five. "Twenty-five on my right, thank you, madam. Twenty-five I am bid..." The woman looks content for but a moment before Pennyworth is bidding once again. "Thirty? Thirty. Selling at thirty, then. Thirty once." Nothing from the bidders. "Thirty twice." The woman shakes her head, not about to go any higher for a pearl ring. "Sold for thirty to Mister Alfred Pennyworth. Thank you very much, sir."

  
The stagehand prepares to unveil the curtains to the next and final lot, but Alfred stops him with a simple question. "May I take a closer look, sir?"

  
A hush falls over the crowd as the box is brought to Alfred for closer inspection. When it's right in front of him, the butler begins speaking aloud. "A collector's piece, indeed.... Every detail exactly as he said. He often spoke of you, my friend, your shine and your perfect fit..." As the stagehand moved away, the man's thoughts come to a quiet whisper. "Will you still shine when the rest of us are dead?" He ponders, lost in the thought as the next lot is introduced. 

  
"Lot 22, then. Our final item of the night. The Gotham City Police Department light signal, in pieces. Some of you may recall when this signal light was used and the strange affair of the Phantom of the GCPD... A mystery never full explained. We are told, ladies and gentlemen, that this is the very light that figures in that famous disaster. Our workshops have restored it, and have fitted parts of it with wiring for the new electric light, so that we may get a hint of how it may look when reassembled. " The man chuckled at the awed faces of his buyers, and decided to keep their interest tight. "Perhaps we may even frighten away the ghost of so many years ago with a little illumination. Gentlemen!"

  
On cue, a worker flipped the massive switch by the light, causing sparks to fly and electricity to buzz as the light came to life once more.


End file.
